Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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Facing Pages · Branch 641 of 4529
Thoughts of Plato, in the Theaetetus. · Entry 4422
French
p. 1281Il dit : « Quand on ignore la nature d’une chose, scait-on ce que son nom signifie? » Le nom n’en montre alors que l’apparence. Les noms bien entendus, bien pénétrés, contiendroient toutes les sciences. La science des noms! nous n’en avons guères que l’art, et même nous en avons peu l’art, parce que nous n’en avons pas assés la science. Quand on entend parfaitement un mot, il devient comme transparent; on en voit la couleur, la forme; on sent son poids; on apperçoit sa dimension, et on scait le placer. — De l’intelligence des mots. Elle apprendroit tout l’art du style. Il faut souvent, pour en bien connoître le sens, la force, la propriété, avoir connu leur histoire. La science des mots enseigneroit tout l’art du style. Voilà pourquoi, quand une langue a eu plusieurs âges, comme la nôtre, les vieux livres sont bons à lire. Il faut remonter à ses sources et la contempler dans son cours. Pour bien écrire le français, il faut entendre le gaulois.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: Thoughts of Plato, in the Theaetetus.
p. 1282He says: “When one does not know a thing’s nature, does one know what its name means?” The name then shows only its appearance. Names well understood, well penetrated, would contain all the sciences. The science of names! we have scarcely more than the art of them, and even of that art we have little, because we have too little of their science. When one understands a word perfectly, it becomes as though transparent; one sees its color, its form; one feels its weight; one perceives its dimension, and one knows where to place it. — Of understanding words. It would teach the whole art of style. To know their meaning, force, and propriety well, one must often have known their history. The science of words would teach the whole art of style. That is why, when a language has had several ages, as ours has, old books are good to read. One must go back to its sources and contemplate it in its course. To write French well, one must understand the French of old.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II · Thoughts of Plato, in the Theaetetus. · Entry 4422
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Joubert’s notebooks return to the work of thinking and writing, the demands of friendship, and questions of faith, beauty and conduct. This edition pairs the French with a new English translation, preserving the order of the chosen source and the unfinished character of its fragments. Dates and source references allow readers to follow a thought through time or return to its printed context.
Historical Text and Translation
The French text follows André Beaunier’s 1938 edition of Les Carnets de Joseph Joubert, published by Gallimard from Joubert’s autograph manuscripts. Volume II continues the notebooks and includes seventy undated pieces. French and English are aligned paragraph by paragraph, retaining the source order, printed dates and page references so readers can return to the facsimile.
About Diotimos Editions
Diotimos Editions prepared this new English translation directly from the French, preserving Joubert’s distinctions, recurring images, ambiguities and unfinished thoughts. Translator’s notes clarify wording, references and uncertain readings: Essential keeps notes that help explain a passage, while All includes technical detail. Annotations from the 1938 source edition remain distinct from the new translator’s notes.
Rights
The linked facsimile records identify the French source as public domain in the United States. The new English translation and editorial notes are © 2026 Diotimos, with source annotations and new editorial contributions credited separately. This edition pairs the complete French notebooks with an independent English translation, preserving the distinction between Joubert’s text and its accompanying notes.